


Star of the White Night

by LazyKitty



Series: Camp AU [2]
Category: Yuri!!! on Ice (Anime)
Genre: Over excited Makkachin, childhood AU
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-02-26
Updated: 2017-02-26
Packaged: 2018-09-26 23:15:18
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,565
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9928295
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LazyKitty/pseuds/LazyKitty
Summary: Two years after meeting Victor at camp, Yuuri returns to St. Petersburg to watch his friend skate in a local festival.Or, the one where Yuuri falls in love (with skating!)~~~Part 2 of a larger AU where Victor and Yuuri meet as kids





	

**Author's Note:**

> This is part of a larger series I am writing in an AU where Victor and Yuuri meet as kids. This can be read as a standalone fic, but if you’d like more background on these two (and some extreme cuteness) please read Wildflower (Part 1 of the series). Thank you to everyone who left comments and kudos on part 1!!!! You all made me smile so much, you have no idea! Much appreciated :)
> 
> This has not been beta’d (hopefully I haven't missed anything too obvious...)
> 
> [Victor is 12 and Yuuri is 8. Two years have elapsed since their first meeting in Part 1]

### Part 2 of Camp AU– Star of the White Night

_…so cute! I promise to send a picture. Or, maybe I will not need to when you answer to my question._

_There is a festival every year in St. Petersburg that has a lot of classical music and ballet performances. And also sometimes we go to see the fireworks. But my favorite is the music and ballet. One of the programs I skated this year has music that I remember from the first time I went to the festival with my mom and dad. Well, mostly just with my dad since my mom was in the orchestra. Also, I think that is how my mom knows Minako-sensei. But anyway…I think this is why I was asked to perform my skating routine a few nights of the festival this year. I won a medal at my first novice competition and I think some people in St. Petersburg are very excited about that, since I was actually born here and because of my mom. We have extra tickets to one of my performances if you and Minako want to come and watch. It is the weekend before Yakov’s camp, so maybe it is good for you._

_Please say that you can come. It would be nice to know that I have a friend watching me skate. So just ask Minako-sensei and let me know._

_Xoxo,  
Victor_

_PS. My mom said that she will also talk to Minako-sensei about this, just in case this letter is late._

_PPS. Also, the festival is called the White Nights._

_PPPS. I know you don’t know a lot about ice skating. Sometimes fans throw cute things onto the ice after a performance. You should find something cute from Hasetsu to throw to me. But only if you want to._

xXx

Yuuri was stunned when he walked into the arena. Unlike the stages used in ballet, the audience circled the entire sheet of ice, ready to watch from every angle. He clutched Minako’s sleeve as she led them to their seats. They were close to the ice, likely a benefit of the friends and family passes secured by Mrs. Nikiforov. Yuuri clutched his jacket more tightly around himself – it was colder than he expected it to be. 

Mrs. Nikiforov handed him a program, pointing to the first line on the second page. “Vitya goes first,” she explained in heavily accented English. “Then there will be a short break for them to introduce some other local skaters. I think Vitya wants to show you some things at the festival, maybe introduce you to a friend…so we will probably leave then, before the other skaters, if that is okay?” 

Yuuri nodded in response, trying to memorize the way Victor’s name looked in Cyrillic. Leaving before the other performances was fine with him, he was really only here to see his friend and had little interest in watching the others. Victor was right when he had said that Yuuri had no experience or knowledge whatsoever of ice skating. Yuuri had always been tangled up in ballet, and since he enjoyed it, never really stopped to consider the appeal of sliding around on the ice. The kids at the local parks fell often, and there was a lot of crying and red, runny noses. No thank you.

The noise from the crowd died down considerably as the lights in the arena slowly started to dim. Victor stepped out onto the ice, his location illuminated by a few overhead lights. He was dressed much more simply than what Yuuri was expecting – plain black from finger tips to toes, with lines of silver gems reflecting the lights. He looked like he was glowing. 

The music started, a classical piece that Yuuri didn’t recognize (but would probably remember forever). And Victor started to _dance_ across the ice.

“I told him to tie his hair up…” Mrs. Nikiforov whispered next to him. “He says he likes the dramatic flair it gives his program, but it is a disaster to comb out at the end of the day.”

Yuuri found that he had to agree with Victor. The way his hair was moving around him gave a different kind of movement to his performance. Everything about the way that Victor was moving was so fluid. Yuuri didn’t know that this type of dancing was possible, especially on ice! Yuuri was absolutely entranced, so caught up in the performance that he audibly gasped the first time that Victor performed a jump – his favorite double flip according to his mother. Then Victor was spinning in a tight circle, one of his legs extended out in front of him. He slowly started to stand, jumping to start another spin on the opposite leg, his torso and free leg parallel to the ice. 

Yuuri’s focus narrowed to Victor’s feet as they changed directions. The sound of the blades scraping against the ice was deafening and Yuuri could see the ice shavings flying as Victor carved an intricate pattern into the surface. He was picking up speed…and yes! Yuuri clutched his hands on his knees as Victor did a second jump, immediately followed by a third. His heart was pounding as all of his perceptions of skating were turned inside out. Somewhere deep inside of himself, he knew he would never be satisfied until he was the one moving like that on the ice. Yuuri was irrefutably in love. 

Victor broke his last pose after a few moments, breaking into a wide grin. He skated in a small circle around the rink waving to his fans. What must it feel like, Yuuri wondered in awe, to know that all of those people are cheering for you? The thought caused his cheeks to warm – he supposed it might not be too much different than his ballet recitals...but even then he shares the stage with many other kids, sharing in the cheers. But this was just Victor out there on the stage, these cheers were only for him. The thought made Yuuri’s stomach flip and his heart warm. He only just remembered to throw the cat sashimi plushi towards the rink. 

Victor was skating back towards them, an even larger grin on is face despite the sweat flowing lightly from his hairline. He nodded at a balding man near the ice, who handed him something which Victor slipped onto the bottom of his skates. He exchanged a few words with the man and was slapped on the back by another skater wearing an elaborately sequined blue top. “Davai, Alexei!” he shouted in response.

Victor finally made his way over to where Yuuri, Minako, and Mrs. Nikiforov were standing. He hugged his mother first, who gave her praise in enthusiastic Russian and several kisses, which Victor accepted with only a slight roll of his eyes. He turned to Yuuri next, arms open wide. Yuuri’s face broke and he lunged into his friend. He tightened his arms around Victor’s middle – he was so proud of him. When they released, Minako lightly tapped Yuuri’s arm with the cellophane wrapped flowers. Yuuri took them. “For you, Victor!” he said. 

Victor accepted them with delight. “I told Yuuri that roses are more traditional for this type of event, but he insisted,” Minako tried to explain, more-so to Victor’s mother than to Victor himself. 

Victor plucked a white and yellow daisy from the mix and tucked it behind his ear. “These are perfect, Yuuri. Thank you!”

Yuuri beamed. “Vitya, you should go change and wash. I’m sure Yuuri is anxious to see the rest of the festival, and Minako and I have some catching-up to do,” Victor’s mother pressed. 

With a parting smile, Minako ushered Yuuri out into the summer air. Yuuri’s mind was racing as they walked over to a small bench, replaying parts of Victor’s skating in his head. Minako smiled down at him, enjoying the look of awe on her pupil’s face. She didn’t need to ask Yuuri what was going through his mind at that moment – she knew he was enamored with what he had just witnessed. As much as it pained her to know that she might be losing a promising star as a result of this weekend, she knew that Yuuri was destined to dance on a larger stage. 

Yuuri jumped in surprise when Minako pulled him into a tight embrace. “Minako-sensei?” 

Minako shook her head lightly, and Yuuri didn’t press his questioning any further. 

xXx

Yuuri tugged the sleeves of his jacket into a tighter knot around his waist. St. Petersburg was hot this June, and he was glad that Minako had the foresight to layer his clothing before going off to the rink. They were at the main part of the festival now, watching some street performers dance as they waited for Victor and his mother. Apparently, Victor had to grab something from home before coming to meet them. Yuuri really hoped it was important – he was getting very very warm and anxious in the growing crowd. 

“The Nikiforovs have never had a good sense of the passage of time,” Minako sighed. 

He looked up at her curiously. “Vera always arrived just in time for rehearsals and performances, relying on her natural talent and off hours dedicated to practice to get away with it,” Minako shook her head. “The first time I met her was in Moscow. She was in charge of meeting me at the airport. She arrived on time, but our path to the opera house was…not direct.”

“But we got where we needed to be when we needed to be there. We always did. She helped me loosen up as a professional, made me realize that there was more to life outside of racing from rehearsals to performances, back to rehearsals.”

“I always loved performing in Russia. I felt calmer knowing she was creating the music, the foundation of my performance,” she finished wistfully.

Yuuri smiled at her. He loved hearing stories about Minako’s life as a ballerina, travelling the world’s stages. Sometimes she seemed sad talking about them, but whenever he brought it up she always reassured Yuuri that there was no place she’d rather be at that moment than in their little studio working with him. She would quickly ruffle his hair, and then criticize his lapse in posture. 

Yuuri caught a glimpse of a silver – Victor’s hair was tied up and thrashing wildly. All of his grace from the ice appeared to have disappeared as he lurched forward sporadically, then pulled back…

And then they came into closer view and Yuuri’s face broke into a large smile. Victor was being dragged across the square by a very energetic plush poodle. “Yuuri!” Victor called, waving frantically. 

Yuuri waved back, laughing out loud as he ran to meet them. “Is this your dog, the one you wrote to me about?” he asked as they finally caught one another. 

Victor nodded. “Sit, Makkachin!” he ordered. 

Makkachin had other ideas, apparently involving pushing Yuuri to the ground and licking his face. Yuuri squealed in shock and delight as he grasped Makkachin’s face in his hands, pulling her back gently. “Sorry,” Victor muttered as he got better control of her harness. “She gets excited around so many people. But I’m sure she’ll let you walk her when she calms down!”

xXx

Later that night, the quartet found themselves at a roof-top café, not far from the Nikiforov’s apartment in St. Petersburg. A sheet and a projector were set up near the wall of a neighboring building – Victor had apologized profusely for dragging Yuuri to what he called a ‘lame adult flic’, but explained that it was the only one nearby that would allow Makkachin. They arranged their blankets in the back corner of the rooftop so they could chat to their hearts content. 

Despite the hour, it was not getting dark. “It’s great no?” Victor exclaimed when Yuuri mentioned it. “The city never sleeps during the peak of summer. In the winter it’s the opposite – hardly any sunshine. Makkachin is going to hate that,” he said, stroking his sleepy dog’s head lovingly.

“I guess I spend most of my days at the rink in the winter anyway. Not much time to go out.”

“Do you like it? Ice skating, I mean,” Yuuri asked. 

Victor smiled. “Yes.”

“Why?” 

Victor laughed, and Yuuri blushed. “I mean, you seem to also enjoy ballet so I was just wondering why ice skating. That’s all.”

Yuuri scratched Makkachin’s ears as he waited for Victor to respond. After seeing Victor skate, he thought he might already know the answer. But he wanted to hear Victor say it, wanted Victor to say the words that would somehow validate what he was feeling – this growing awareness inside that he was not going to be satisfied with ballet. 

“There are things you can do on the ice that you just can’t do anywhere else. Things you can feel on the ice that you can’t feel anywhere else. I feel so free on the ice, like I’m on the edge of something new and exciting whenever I skate. I lost that feeling in ballet, having to be so mindful of others.”

Yuuri nodded, he could see that excitement and freedom in Victor. Though pleased with the answer, he hesitated slightly before speaking to his remaining nagging concern about the sport. “There were so many people there today, watching you…”

Victor nodded. “It used to make me nervous when I first started. And the crowds kept growing and growing as I kept moving to different levels and competitions. After a while, I realized that I like sharing my stories with people, I like surprising people.”

“I want to surprise people too,” Yuuri murmured. 

Victor smiled and Yuuri blushed again. “Braid my hair? The wind keeps blowing it into my eyes,” Victor asked, scooting himself in front of Yuuri.

Yuuri used his fingers in lieu of a comb, shielding Victor’s head from the wind the best he could. “You can try skating with me during camp next week, if you want.” 

Yuuri’s stomach and heart lurched. “Umm…. I ummm…” While the idea was exciting, he was also terrified of looking ridiculous in front of a group of seasoned skaters. This was nothing new – it was why he appreciated Minako’s willingness to work with him after hours on new techniques. When he did anything in front of people, even in front of his classmates during rehearsal, he wanted to feel confident about his movements. He was also afraid that he would be naturally horrible on the ice, and Victor was the last person he would want to discover that in front of. “I don’t think so,” he finally replied.

Victor shrugged, and moved on to summarizing the plot of the very boring movie flickering on the building. They amused themselves by making up fake dialogue and plot points for the next hour and a half. It was the most fun Yuuri had had in ages. 

xXx 

Yuuri squeezed his eyes shut as he drew in a deep breath. He gingerly placed his right blade onto the smooth ice. Then his left. Now just push and glide, he reminded himself in his instructor’s soft words. He heard the sharp blades cutting into the surface and his mind immediately calmed. _Yes_ , he thought. _This was right._

**Author's Note:**

> St. Petersburg is located on a very interesting latitude line...during this part of the summer, it would be light outside nearly all day and night, with the darkest hours looking as if the sun has barely begun to set. I experienced this in Anchorage (Alaska) last summer and it is totally weird to be out at on a rooftop bar at 1 AM, but really it looks like the middle of the day. Anyway, the White Nights Festivals occur in St. Petersburg during these weeks to celebrate various historical events and include many musical and ballet performances throughout the day. I thought it would be fun to incorporate that here...though I'm not sure if ice skating is typically done ;)


End file.
